1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data recording apparatus that is capable of recording photographic data on a data recording medium like a film.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the known art, there are cameras that are capable of imprinting data, including the film number and the like, at a location ahead of the first photographic frame of a film (hereafter referred to as film leader portion) as well as imprinting data such as the photographing date within the exposure area of each photographic frame of the film for photography. With this type of camera, when new film is loaded, the film is wound up to the point where a specific area on the film leader portion faces opposite the aperture and the film stops at that position. Then, in this state, data are imprinted by an imprinting apparatus. After that, the film is wound up again until the photographic frame at the front end of the film faces opposite the aperture and each time a photograph is taken, data are imprinted within the exposure area of each photographic frame. Normally, the data that are imprinted on the film leader portion represent information that is inherent to the film, including the film number mentioned above, while the data that are imprinted on each photographic frame represent information that is inherent to that particular frame, including the photographing date and the exposure value.
However, the camera in the prior art is structured in such a manner that switching between the data item for imprinting on the film leader portion and the data item for imprinting on individual photographic frames is handled through manual operation of an operating member for switching. Because of this, if the photographer fails to perform the data switching operation with the operating member after the data inherent to the film are imprinted on the film leader portion and before data imprinting on individual photographic frames is started, the data that are inherent to the film and which are meaningless for individual photographic frames will, nevertheless, be imprinted on the photographic frames.